Venezuela food shortages prompt wave of looting

A group of people walk in front of a liquor store that was looted in the early hours of the morning in Caracas, Venezuela, there have been 107 reports of looting in the country within the first 11 days of 2018. Photo by Miguel Gutierrez/EPA

Jan. 19 (UPI) — A wave of looting has swept through Venezuela as inflation and worsening food shortages plague the South American country.

There were 107 reports of looting or attempted looting through the first 11 days of January, according to the Venezuelan Observatory for Social Conflict. The rights group said the total is more than have been reported in the month of January throughout the last three years combined.

German Gomez, director of Security for the state of Merida, said a group people killed a cow with stones, presumably to distribute its meat.

He added there were multiple incidents of looting between Tuesday and Thursday of last week, some of which turned violent, resulting in the death of four people.

In the state of Aragua group of people used logs to block vehicles on the Regional Highway Center near the La Victoria toll road at around 10 p.m. on Sunday to loot a food truck, El Nacional reported.

Photos and videos from the scene showed dozens of people stealing cheeses from a truck.

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